Jointer with replaceable finishing member



June 25, 1968 R. w. PRYOR JOINTER WITH REPLACEABLE FINISHING MEMBER Filed May 17, 1966 FIG. 2'

v ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,389,420 JOINTER WITH REPLACEABLE FINISHHNG MEMBER Ronald W. Pryor, 2839 12th St., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44223 Filed May 17, 1966, Ser. No. 550,802 4 Claims. (Cl. -2353) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A masons tool comprising a generally S-shaped support member with a handle on one leg of the support member and a replaceable finishing member freely journaled on the remaining leg of the support member.

This invention relates to tools for use in building construction and in particular relates to a masons tool, commonly known as a jointer, that has a replaceable finishing member for striking or finishing the joints between two courses of bricks or building blocks.

It has long been known in the construction field that when two courses of brick are laid with a layer of mortar or similar substance therebetween, that the excess mortar may be removed and the surface of the mortar may be smoothed and finished by drawing the finishing member of a jointer across the substance while the same is still wet or unset.

The conventional tools for performing this operation generally include a handle with a finishing element secured thereto and with this element having the configuration required to give the surface of the finished joint the desired appearance.

It has been found in the normal instance of use of these tools however, that the finishing element, which is constantly in frictional contact with the mortar, tends to wear out rather rapidly. In normal use, for example, it has been found that these elements wear out in a period of approximately one month. Although this period obviously varies with the frequency and intensity of use, the result is that it is necessary to purchase an entirely new tool which is both inconvenient and costly.

In addition, craftsmen such as masons often develop a feel for a particular tool and to have to frequently replace a tool is particularly bothersome to such workmen.

It has been found that these problems can be minimized by providing a jointer of the general nature described with a removable finishing element so that when this element has been worn so as to be unserviceable, a new element can be readily substituted on the job without the necessity of purchasing the entire assembly and without the inconvenience this would necessitate, so that both cost and efiiciency are improved.

It has further been found that by providing the finishing element with a through axial bore that the same can be slidably received on the tool itself for quick assembly and also that by providing means for releasably securing this finishing member on the tool that the same can be easily and quickly replaced at the job site.

This quick replacement feature also permits the utilization of interchangeable finishing elements having various external configurations so that the user may achieve a variety of finished joint surfaces with the same tool.

It has also been found, however, that by making the finishing element of substantially elongate cylindrical shape that further improved wear properties can be achieved since the element can be rotated on the tool so as to fully utilize all of its surfaces until all said surfaces are worn.

Finally, it has been found that by tapering the ends Patented June 25, 1968 ice of the finishing element that the same may be used interchangeably and further, when beginning the finishing stroke, gouging or raking of the mortar is prevented.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved jointer.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the tool of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 2-2 thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the improved tool illustrating the same in operation.

Turning first to the drawings and in particular to FIG- URE 1 it will be noted that the tool consists of a basically S-shaped supporting rod 10 of generally uniform circular cross section that has oppositely projecting legs 11 and 13 that are interconnected by an intermediate portion 12. In the form of the invention shown, leg Ill is disposed at an obtuse angle with regard to intermediate portion 12 with this construction having been found to facilitate operation of the tool, but with it being understood that it is merely necessary to have legs 11 and 13 offset from each other for clearance of the operators hand, as will be described more fully below.

Secured to the leg 11 of support rod 10 is a handle 29 which has a gripping portion 21 and a cap portion 22. This handle is contoured for gripping purposes in conventional fashion and may be of any suitable material such as wood or plastic.

Secured to the other leg 13 0f the S-shaped support rod 10 is a finishing element generally designated by the numeral 30. This element is of generally cylindrical configuration and has a through axial bore 31 which has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the leg 13 so that the element 30 can be freely journaled on the leg 13 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 with a counterbore 31a being normally disposed adjacent intermediate portion 12 of support member ill for clearance purposes.

The outboard end of the leg 13 is threaded at 13a to releasably receive a nut 40 which prevents axial separation of the finishing element 30 from the support member 10. This nut 44) can be turned sufiiciently to abut the end of finishing element 30 and lock the opposed end of the element 32 against intermediate portion 12 of support member 10 to prevent rotation.

Considering finishing element 34 in greater detail it has been noted that the same has a generally cylindrical overall configuration and its opposed ends are tapered as at 32a, 32b for purposes that will be described below. These tapered surfaces begin at a point spaced inwardly from the ends and in the form of the invention shown end 3211 has a sharper taper than end 32a. This has been found advantageous because a deeper taper is preferred on the end 32b which serves to remove the majority of material during the outward movement of the tool while end 32a does not require such a large taper in view of the fact that the same is merely a smoothing component during the return movement of the tool.

Turning next then to the use or operation of the improved device, attention is directed to FIGURE 3 wherein two partial courses of bricks or building blocks 50, 50 are shown with a layer of mortar 66 shown disposed between the two courses and forming a joint therebctween.

When it is desired to finish the joint thus formed by the mortar 6i it is merely necessary for the user to grasp the handle 29 with the users thumb resting against the finishing element 30 if desired. In this fashion element 30, which is freely journaled on leg 13 of the support rod 10, is prevented from rotating. However, if nut 40 has been tightened against finishing element 32 as described above this would not be necessary since element 32 would be locked against rotation.

The tool is then drawn along the joint in the direction of the arrow 70 to finish the same. In this regard, and assuming that the joint shown is a portion of a continuing joint, the fact that the end 32a of the finishing element 30 is tapered insures that, at the beginning of the finishing stroke, a smooth continuous surface is formed. Also since end 3212 is also tapered, the mortar 69 will not be gouged out by that end of the finishing element 30 but a smooth surface will be obtained.

In continued use of the tool, since the finishing element 30 is freely journaled on the leg 13 of the support rod, it is believed apparent that the same may be rotated as surfaces thereof become unusable due to continued application of the same against the mortar 60. When all surfaces of the element 30 have been so worn as to be unusable it is merely necessary to remove the nut 40, slide the element 30 off leg and replace it with a new element 3t) and replace the nut 40. At this time the tool is ready for continued use.

It has been shown then, how by providing a cylindrical removable finishing element on a jointer, an efficient finishing operation can be performed without the necessity of purchasing an entire new tool every time the finishing portion of the tool is Worn out.

It has also been shown how, by providing a tool with a projecting support member and by providing a finishing element that is slidably received thereon, the replacement operation can be quickly and easily accomplished.

It has also been shown that, by freely journaling the finishing element on the support rod, that the entire surface of the finishing element may be utilized by rotating the same so that various portions of its surface may be placed in contact with the material being finished.

Furthermore, it has been shown how, by tapering the ends of the finishing element, a smooth, continuous surface can be easily formed.

While a full and complete disclosure of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiment herein disclosed. Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A finishing tool of the character described, comprising:

(A) an elongate, generally S-shaped support member having:

(1) first and second elongate legs (2) an intermediate portion interconnecting said legs CHARLES 4 (3) with said legs projecting in opposite directions from said intermediate portion and having their longitudinal axes lying in generally parallel spaced apart planes;

(B) a handle carried by said first leg;

(C) an elongate finishing member of relatively hard material having a through central bore and tapered opposed ends removably carried by said second leg; and

(D) locking means carried by said second leg and adapted to releasably secure said finishing member on said second leg.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said locking means include a threaded area on the projecting end of said second leg member and a nut adapted to be releasably received on said threaded area.

3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said finishing member has a counterbore extending inwardly from the end of said finishing member that is disposed adjacent the point of juncture of said second leg member with said intermediate portion of said support member.

4. A finishing tool of the character described, comprising:

(A) an elongate, generally S-shaped support member having:

(1) first and second elongate legs and (2) an intermediate portion interconnecting said legs (3) with said legs projecting in opposite directions from said intermediate portion and with the longitudinal axis of said first leg being disposed at an angle with regard to the longitudinal axis of said second leg;

(B) a handle carried by said first leg;

(C) a finishing member removably carried by said second leg; and

(D) locking means carried by said second leg and adapted to releasably secure said finishing member on said second leg.

10/1934 Dunn 15235.3 10/1942 Dahlstrom 15--230.l1

A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

